Elevated tank



Sept S, 1951 F, MUMMERT 2,567,958

ELEVATED TANK Filed Jan. 19, 1946 Patented Sept. 18, 1951 ELEVATED TANK John F. Mummert, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, a corporation of Illinois Application January 19, 1946, Serial No. 642,336

3 Claims.

erent designs that consist of ya storage portion,

a supporting framework for the storage portion, and a foundation, usually of concrete, under the supports. Many of the elevated tanks built in the past have disadvantages in that the foundation is ordinarily quite bulky, and there are problems of getting equal loading on the foundation.

If one portion of the foundation settles more than the other portions, strains are set up in the tank y and in the supports.

I have invented an elevated storage tank comprising a storage portion, a support means for the storage portion concentrating the load on a relatively small area and permitting the vertical movement of the storage portion under load. u

'I'here is also provided a bracing means resisting yany substantially sideways movement of the storage portion but permitting vertical movement thereof. In this construction the weight of the storage portion and the contents is concentrated on a relatively small area so that the problem of uneven loading of the foundation is substantially eliminated. The actual design of the new elevated tank may vary widely so long as the storage portion is supported on a central member and bracing means are provided to resist sideways movement but to oier very little or no resistance to vertical movement, due to the elasticity of the support.

The invention will be'described as related to one embodiment of the same, as set out in the accompanying drawings. Of the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a storage tank embodying the invention; Fig. 2 isa vertical section taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The elevated storage tank shown in the accompanying drawings comprises storage portion Ill, a combined riser pipe `and support II for the storage portion, and a framework bracing I2 around the storage portion I0 and riser pipe II. The riser pipe II rests on a concrete foundation I3, While each leg of the bracing I2 rests on foundations I4. The riser pipe I l and its foundation I3 carry substantially the full weight of the storage portion I0 and the liquid -contents of the tank. As can be seen, the entire weight is concentrated on the foundation I3 which covers a relatively small area.

When the tank is filled and emptied of liquid there will be a vertical movement set up due to the elasticity of the steel in the riser pipe II. The bracing I2 which comprises four legs I5, cross cables I6, struts 25, and a circular platform I1 surrounding the storage portion I0, is arranged so thatrit will not restrict the vertical movement of the tank, but will serve only to prevent any substantial sideways movement due to windand the like. The bracing is purposely made relatively light in weight, as it is not subjected to any portion of the weight of the tank and its contents.

' In order that the bracing I2 Will not inhibit the vertical movement of the tank the bracing is either unconnected to the tank or connected by movable members. If the bracing is unconnected, a clearance of approximately 1/8 inch Ibetween the top of the bracing and the tank I0 may be provided as horizontal deflection of this amount .would not result in undue stress. In the embodiment shown the top of each leg I5 of the bracing is connected to the storage portion I 0 of the tank by means of substantially horizontal bars i8. Each bar I8 is rotatably attached to the storage portion II) by means of clevis plates I9 extending from the storage portion I0. A clevis plate I9 is provided on each side of each bar I8 and a pin 20 passes through the clevis plates I9 and the horizontal bar 2l). The opposite end of each bar I8 is also rotatably mounted on the legs I5 by means of a second pin 2| passing through two gusset plates 22 and the horizontal bar I3. A gusset plate is arranged on either side of the bar I8. These gusset plates are of substantially triangular shape, and serve f not only as an end support for the horizontal bar I8 but also as supports for the horizontal portion 23 of the platform Il. There is a substantial clearance between theinner end of each gusset plate and the storage portion I'Il of the elevated tank.

A plurality of substantially horizontal collars 24 are provided around the riser pipe I I. These collars are attached to the legs I5 of the bracing I2 by means of substantially horizontal struts 25. The collars 24 are attached to the riser pipe Il as by welding while each strut 25 is attached to a collar by means of a flat vertical plate 26 on the collar and a pin 32 connecting the strut and the plate. The outer end of each. girder 25 is attached to a leg I5 by means of a second plate 21 attached to a leg I5 with a second pin 33 passing through the girder and the plate 2l. Bracing 28 is provided on each strut 25 so as to strengthen the strut, and aid it in resisting bend. Thus each strut is rotatably held at its two ends.

The storage portion I0 may have any shape desired. That shown comprises a generally cylindrical body 29 having a cone top 30 and an inverted cone bottom 3 I. The riser pipe i l is connected to the tank at the apex of the inverted cone bottom 3 The invention is particularly useful in constructing storage tanks having relatively small capacities, such as not more than 50,000 gallons. The size will generally depend upon the thickness of steel used in constructing the riser pipe I I and upon the resistance of the foundation to com'- pression. In the new storage tank the bracing which resists sideways movement may be used as an erection tower and need only be built strong enough to resist movement of the tank due to wind and the like.

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any `of the details of description unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

l. An elevated liquid storage tank comprising a storage portion, a substantially centrally located riser pipe serving to support the entire weight of storage portion above the ground, said riser pipe being incapable of supporting the storage portion against any substantial sideways movement, and a bracing means located around the tank and resting on the ground, said bracing means being adapted to support the storage portion against substantial sideways movement and including a plurality of columns, a plurality of substantially horizontal bar members each rotatably attached to a column and to the storage portion, a plurality of spaced collars surrounding the riser pipe and closely adjacent thereto, and a plurality of struts with each strut having one end rotatably connected to a column and having the other end rotatably connected to said collars.

2. An elevated liquid storage tank comprising a storage portion, a substantially centrally located riser pipe serving to support the entire weight of the storage portion above the ground,

said riser pipe being incapable of supporting the storage portion against any substantial sideways movement, and a bracing means located around the tank and resting on the ground, said bracing means 'being adapted to Support the storage portion against substantial sideways movement and including a plurality of columns, a plurality of members each vertically swingably attached to a column and the storage portion and comprising the only connection between the columns and storage portion.

3. An elevated liquid storage tank comprising a storage portion, a centrally located tubular supporting means adapted to support the entire weight of the storage portion in elevated position, said supporting means being incapable of resisting .substantial lateral movement of the storage portion, a centrally located foundation for the tubular Supporting means, a plurality of outer foundations arranged substantially beyond the central foundation, columns supported on said outer foundations and extending upwardly to said storage portion level, and a ring-like member carried by the upper portions of said columns and extending around the storage portion, said columns and ring-like member being free of rigid connection to the storage portion, bracing mem'-j 'bers interconnecting said columns to prevent any substantial sideways movement of said ring-'like' member and columns and means including the ring-like member and columns `to prevent move# ment of the storage portion in excess of per'- missible movement.

JOHN F. MUMMER'I.v

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 121,202 Horton June 25, 1940 348,912 Intze Sept. 7, 1886 548,635 Flad Oct. 29, 1895 645,626 Mills Mar. 20, 1900 839,942 Mansfield Jan. 1, 1907 973,183 Fanning Oct. 18, 1910 2,050,685 Wiggins Aug. 11, 1936 2,264,668 Horton Dec. 2, 1941 2,349,096 Jackson May 16, 1944 2,375,442 Sandberg May 8, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 447,376 Germany Oct. 25, 1923 

